Bullockia setiflora (Hiern) Razafim., Lantz & B.Bremer

Rubiaceae, D. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 5:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Scandent shrub 1–4 m tall; young branches covered with dark greyish bark, not conspicuously marked with lenticels, densely covered with upwardly directed straw-coloured, golden or rust-coloured hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades greenish when dry, 1.2–6.5 × 0.6–3.4 cm, elliptic, oblong-elliptic or sometimes broadly elliptic, acute to obtuse and apiculate at apex, obtuse to rounded at base, glabrescent to pubescent beneath, with hairs more dense on nerves beneath, upper surface sparsely pubescent to glabrescent or rarely glabrous save for midrib; lateral nerves in (3)4(5) main pairs; tertiary nerves obscure; domatia absent or inconspicuous; petiole 1–2 mm long, pubescent; stipules 2–5 mmlong, triangular at the base with a somewhat decurrent lobe, pubescent outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers (4)5(6)-merous: functionally male flowers borne in subsessile to pedunculate 2–12-flowered subumbellate cymes, functionally female flowers solitary or occasionally paired; peduncles 1–5 mm long, pubescent; pedicels 1–4 mm long in functionally male flowers and 1.5–8 mm long in functionally female flowers, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 1.5–2 mm long and densely pubescent in functionally female flowers, reduced and rather sparsely pubescent in functionally male flowers; limb lobed almost to the base; lobes linear to spathulate, 0.5–3 mm long in functionally male flowers and 1.5–3 mm long in functionally female flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellowish-green to cream; tube 1.5–2 mm long in functionally male flowers and 1–1.25 mm long in functionally female flowers, with a ring of deflexed hairs at the throat; lobes 1 mm long, 0.75–1 mm wide at base, triangular-ovate, sparsely pubescent toward the apex outside, acute and thickened at the apex, erect or spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers exserted, but almost sessile, somewhat larger in functionally male flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style ± equalling corolla tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter larger in functionally female flowers, up to 0.75 mm long and wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit yellow, or turning black when mature, 7–12× 7–12 mm, broadly obovoid, flattened, scarcely indented at the apex, pubescent; calyx lobes persistent; pedicel lengthening to 6–12 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Pyrene

Pyrene 8 × 4 mm, obovoid with ventral face flattened, slightly rugulose; apical crest slightly defined.

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit

Scandent shrub 1–4 m. tall; young branches covered with dark greyish bark, not conspicuously marked with lenticels, densely covered with upwardly directed straw-coloured, golden or rust-coloured hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades greenish when dry, elliptic, oblong-elliptic or sometimes broadly elliptic, 1.2–6.5 cm. long, 0.6–3.4 cm. wide, acute to obtuse and apiculate at apex, obtuse to rounded at base, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent or rarely glabrous save for midrib above, glabrescent to pubescent beneath, with denser hairs on nerves beneath; lateral nerves in (3–)4(–5) main pairs; tertiary nerves obscure; domatia absent or inconspicuous; petiole 1–2 mm. long, pubescent; stipules triangular at base with a somewhat decurrent linear lobe 2–5 mm. long, pubescent outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers (4–)5(–6)-merous. Functionally ♀ flowers solitary or occasionally paired; pedicels 1.5–8 mm. long; calyx-tube 1.5–2 mm. long, densely pubescent; lobes 1.5–3 mm. long; corolla as ♂ but tube 1–1.25 mm. long; anthers somewhat smaller; stigmatic knob somewhat bigger, 0.75 mm. long and wide. Functionally ♂ flowers borne in subsessile to pedunculate, 2–12-flowered, subumbellate cymes; peduncles 1–5 mm. long, pubescent; pedicels 1–4 mm. long, pubescent; calyx-tube reduced and rather sparsely pubescent; limb lobed almost to base; lobes linear to spathulate, 0.5–3 mm. long; corolla yellowish green to cream; tube 1.5–2 mm. long, with a ring of deflexed hairs at throat inside; lobes triangular-ovate, 1 mm. long, 0.75–1 mm. wide at base, sparsely pubescent towards apex outside, acute and thickened at apex, erect or spreading; anthers exserted but almost sessile; style ± equalling corolla-tube.

sex Male

Functionally ♂ flowers borne in subsessile to pedunculate, 2–12-flowered, subumbellate cymes; peduncles 1–5 mm. long, pubescent; pedicels 1–4 mm. long, pubescent; calyx-tube reduced and rather sparsely pubescent; limb lobed almost to base; lobes linear to spathulate, 0.5–3 mm. long; corolla yellowish green to cream; tube 1.5–2 mm. long, with a ring of deflexed hairs at throat inside; lobes triangular-ovate, 1 mm. long, 0.75–1 mm. wide at base, sparsely pubescent towards apex outside, acute and thickened at apex, erect or spreading; anthers exserted but almost sessile; style ± equalling corolla-tube.

sex Female

Functionally ♀ flowers solitary or occasionally paired; pedicels 1.5–8 mm. long; calyx-tube 1.5–2 mm. long, densely pubescent; lobes 1.5–3 mm. long; corolla as ♂ but tube 1–1.25 mm. long; anthers somewhat smaller; stigmatic knob somewhat bigger, 0.75 mm. long and wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit yellow, or turning black when mature, flattened, broadly obovoid, 0.7–1.2 cm. long, and wide, scarcely indented at apex, pubescent; calyx-lobes persistent; pedicel lengthening to 0.6–1.2 cm.; pyrene obovoid, flattened on ventral face, 8 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, slightly rugulose; apical crest slightly defined.